Frazier Ali I is surprisingly fairly one sided

Frazier took a hell of a beating too. He ate a ton of flush, fully-leveraged punches that fight.

 

Frazier was on a mission, and Frazier being classy guy he was, told Ali after the decision was announced:
"No one has to crawl across the ring and tell the winner (i.e. Frazier) that 'he's The Greatest'. "

 

Joe Frazier certainly won the fight crystal clear. It was a great fight though. Ali was very sharp and fast especially early. Joe's hook was like a whip that night.

Ali did campaign after the fight that he should have gotten the decision. He kept it up brought the race card into it. He took it too far. I think that is why thr perception is off on that fight.

Sports Illustrated gave Ali Sportsman of the Year a few years later. Ali was alot of things but he was no sportsman.

 

Its a shame how Ali treated smoking joe, he was a gentleman.
Ali jumped into that fight to quick,
N agree with op,

 

Ali tried that night ,he truly did .But he was facing Joe Frazier ,a man who'd had his pride scorned. Ali didn't quite realise what he was facing that night in the ring .Joe went in ready to die for his win .

 

I think the fight was in the balance after 10 rds, just like their third. The difference was that Ali stayed in the corner in the 11th and got tagged hard, after that Joe took over.

In the third fight, Ali managed to turn the fight in his favor in the last third of the fight. That was really the difference between the two fights.

 

Under the circumstances he didn't. Ali was facing pending legal consequences. Two tuneup bouts was reasonable at the time.

 

Ali rolled with a lot of those punches though. In any event, Frazier landed more of the most telling punches but I’m surprised that there’s any debate over whether he also took a beating himself. There were several instances where the commentators rightfully wondered how much more punishment Frazier could take.

 

Well if the fight was one sided in Frazier's favour and that's obviously arguable, he certainly was never the same again.

 

Anyone who truly watches the fight without rooting for Ali would see that!

Frazier landed more power punches, body shots included, controlled the fight this is scoring criteria.

Many phantom Ali punches missing were being called by Cosell which is why I tune him out .

 

I agree, Ali landed a lot but he was like a man fighting off an avalanche.

 

I think your right. In Manila I believe the heat got to Joe after the 11th. He lost steam on his punches. Ali had more versatility than Joe Frazier as he was able to rest on the ropes each round. Even though Frazier was giving him a beating he was constantly punching.

 

Ali was more disciplined on the ropes in Manilla. He covered up well which meant that Joe mostly hit arms and elbows. In FOTC he clowned more with his hands low, which is also how Joe caught him in the 11th.